If the fear of man is overcome, more people would be doing exploits for God and moving in greater knowledge of His will. It is often the fear of man that serves as a leash on people. Gideon had God’s mandate to pull down his father’s shrine; but fear raised its ugly head. He could only follow through under the cover of darkness. “So Gideon took ten men from among his servants and did as the Lord had said to him. But because he feared his father’s household and the men of the city too much to do it by day, he did it by night.” (Judges 6:27 NKJV). Like most people, Gideon failed to realize that God got him covered. God will not give you an assignment that will put you in harm’s way and abandon you. God was not unaware of likely reactions of Gideon’s family and the people of his city. Gideon must have forgotten the mighty assurance he had from God when he called him.
The same fear of man can be seen at play in our text. Nicodemus admired what Jesus was teaching and doing. He wanted a more intimate connection with Jesus, but he could only come “after dark”. Why wait till it was dark? From scripture, we know that Nicodemus was a leader and renowned teacher among the Jews. He was probably afraid of what people would say about him should he be seen going to an unlearned man by the standard of the time. On a general note, fear has torment, as the Bible says. On a more specific note, the fear of man limits us. Those who want to go all the way with God and be all that they are destined for must find a way to lay aside the fear of man.